Love Lessons
by animegamer89
Summary: Toph decides to help Aang confess his feelings to Katara, but something unexpected happens. My first Taang fiction, one-shot. Rated T to be safe.


**Authors Notes: Hello. This is my first ****Taang**** fiction, so try to go easy on the reviews. This story is a post ****"The Firebending Masters"**** story. I ****am a Zuko fan, so expect to see him a bit in the story. FYI, I changed the ending. This is the new version. One more thing. This is a one shot, and despite some requests, I am not continuing it. I'm really sorry. Now then, enjoy the story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender. It is the property of its creators and Nickelodeon. **

xXxXx

**Lessons in Love**

Toph was walking through the air temple looking for Aang and Zuko. One reason was that it was time for Aang's earthbending lesson. The other reason was that she wanted to annoy Zuko. She always found it relaxing to pester the firebender for burning her feet. She then sensed their vibrations through the ground and went in that direction. When she approached them, she prepared to holler to them.

"Hey Aang, it's time to…"

"I'm in love with you!" Aang yelled to Zuko, unaware that Toph was standing ten feet away from them.

Toph stopped dead in her tracks, a smile creeping to her face.

"Whoa," said Toph, "I had no idea you swung that way Aang."

Zuko and Aang immediately realized that Toph was there, and that she heard what Aang had just said.

"T-T-Toph, what…um…are you doing h-h-here?" stammered Aang.

"Oh, was I interrupting something Aang?"

"Look," began Zuko, "I can explain."

"I'm all ears, Mr. Man-Crush."

Zuko's eye twitched at Toph's new nickname for him.

"Alright, you know how Aang wanted to talk to me after breakfast?" began Zuko.

"So Aang was confessing that he was gay, and you were going to confess and make out when I interrupted?" asked Toph with a creepy grin.

"NO!" yelled the aggravated airbender and firebender at the same time.

Toph's grin went wider, "Awww, I think it's really cute." 'I like getting under their skin, it's so much fun,' she thought.

"Will you let me finish!" yelled Zuko.

"Alright fine, ruin my fun," said Toph getting disappointed, "So why did Aang say 'I'm in love with you?"

"He asked me to help him confess his feelings to Katara," answered Zuko.

Toph just stared blankly at Zuko before speaking up.

"So, let me guess. He had you pretend to be Katara?"

"Yeah," he answered.

Toph then looked to Aang.

"Is this true?" she asked.

"Yes, it is," replied Aang.

After a minute of awkward silence, a wide smile came across Toph's face like a wild fire.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

The blind earthbender landed on her back as she began to laugh hysterically. Tears began to form in her eyes as a result of her laughter.

"It's not funny!" yelled Zuko.

"Yeah it is!" laughed Toph, "This is classic! Wh-what else did he tell you to do! Did Aang tell you to flutter your eyes, and get all motherly too!" she asked sarcastically, and still laughing.

Zuko just went red, and looked away.

"Kind of," He answered.

Hearing this made Toph clutch her sides, and laugh even more.

"I can totally see it!" yelled Toph as she tried to imagine Zuko acting like Katara.

"Oh shut up!" yelled Zuko, but she didn't stop.

Aang just sighed.

"What am I going to do?" he asked getting worried, "I can't ask Sokka, he would probably kill me. Haru probably has a crush on Katara too. And I don't think Teo, or the Duke know much about women."

Toph's laughter began to die down as soon as she heard Aang's complaints.

"Ah-hem!" announced Toph, getting Aang's attention.

"If you want," began Toph, "I can help you out."

Zuko and Aang looked at one another. Suddenly, they both burst into laughter.

"Ha, Ha, Ha! You! Help him!" laughed Zuko.

"Why!" demanded Toph, becoming a little angry, "What's wrong with me!"

"Heh, heh, heh," chuckled, Aang, "No offense Toph, but you're not exactly…well…you know…"

"What! I'm not exactly what!"

"Girly," answered Aang.

Toph surprisingly recomposed herself.

"Look Aang," she began calmly, possibly to prove him wrong, "I know I'm a tomboy, but deep down inside me is a sweet, adorable, innocent little girl," she said referring to herself.

"Yeah, sure," muttered Zuko, "and my sister is an angel.

Toph then shot a rock at Zuko's head.

"Ow!" yelled the prince.

"Look, say whatever you want! But the fact remains that I am a girl!" she then turned her attention to Aang, "The only way you're going to pull this off is if you practice with a **real **girl."

"Ok," replied Aang sheepishly.

Toph walked away.

"Um, Toph? Where are you going?" asked Aang.

"I'm going to prepare!" she answered. She then went to Zuko and yanked him by the shirt, dragging him along.

"Hey!" yelled Zuko.

"Come on Mr. Man-Crush, you're going to help me with Aang's 'lesson."

Zuko groaned at the thought.

xXxXx

After an hour, Aang heard Zuko approach.

"Hey Zuko!" Aang looked around, "Where's Toph?"

"Well, it took a while, but…" began Zuko before he smiled and took a step to the side.

Toph walked up.

"So Twinkletoes, what do you think now?" asked the earthbender.

Aang could not believe his eyes. Toph looked like…a girl. Her hair wasn't in her usual bun, nor did her bangs cover her face. It was neatly combed, and braided into a ponytail that trailed down her left shoulder. She even wore her "formal" clothes, whatever formal meant to Toph, which was basically a pair of baggy, green pants and a milky green over robe. She even smiled, which to Aang, made it seem like he was being introduced to an entirely different person.

"Toph…you look…different," said Aang blushing.

"Yeah," said Toph, "apparently, Zuko's pretty good with this sort of stuff, being a prince and all."

Zuko just turned away.

"Alright I'm out of here. I think I've wasted enough of my day already."

"Later Zuko!"

"Yeah, later, _Mr. Man-Crush_."

"Stop calling me that…you…earthbender!"

"Oh no, talk about a mean nickname," retorted Toph sarcastically.

Zuko just huffed and walked away, leaving the two twelve-year olds alone.

"Alright," began Toph, "Now I'll pretend to be Katara, and you approach me, got it?"

"Right, ok," said Aang, still marveling at the difference in Toph's appearance.

He immediately positioned himself in the opposite direction of Toph. He then began to walk down toward her.

"So…um…Katara…I was…um…you know…if you're not too…busy…could we…um…"

"Boring," said Toph.

"What do you mean?" asked Aang.

"Look Aang, by the time you finish whatever it was you were going to say to her, Katara will be as old as her grandma. You've got to be more confident. Think of this like earthbending. Just don't think, take it head on" explained Toph.

"Ok, confident and head-on," said Aang, "Got it."

"Good, now let's try again. Remember, pretend I'm Katara, in fact, I'll help you out." Toph then cleared her throat, "So Aang, you wanted to talk to me?" said Toph, smiling like and impersonating Katara as best she could.

"Yes, I did want to talk to you," said Aang blushing, but with more confidence.

"Much better," said Toph.

"Thanks," said Aang.

"Toph then wound up for another impression.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" said Toph as sweetly as she could.

Aang blushed even more, "I wanted to talk about, us?"

Toph began to sense the physical reactions that were occurring in Aang, and raised an eyebrow.

"What about us?" she asked.

"Well…it's…um…kind of…"

"Aang, seriously, are you ok?" asked Toph, "You seem to be kind of distract…" suddenly she was cut off when Aang stepped forward and clasped both of her hands, and wrapped them in his own.

"There's something that I have to tell you!" he said.

"Um…Aang…wh-what are you doing?" asked Toph a little freaked out by Aang's sudden advance.

"Ever since I met you, you were the only thing on my mind. I couldn't stop thinking about you!"

Aang took another step forward, and held her hands a little bit tighter. Toph began to blush.

"Aang? Seriously, y-you're too close," said Toph, her voice becoming softer. 'Crap wh-what do I do! I think his imagination is getting to him!' she thought in distress, not knowing how to handle the situation.

"So now I'm going to say it! The one thing I should have told you the moment I met you. I LOVE YOU!"

Aang then crashed his lips into Toph's, and began to kiss her.

"MMMPH!" squealed Toph. A burst of emotions rushed through Toph. At first she struggled to break free, but the longer Aang kissed her, the harder it was for her to do so. She eventually relaxed and started to kiss him back.

Aang's hands then found their way to the back of Toph's neck, and he pulled her in closer. Toph's hands began to rest on his shoulders, and she continued to return his kisses. They eventually pulled away from one another, and looked into one another's eyes. Toph was totally flustered, and her eyes were in a daze.

"A-Aang…" whispered Toph.

"Katara…"

Suddenly, Toph snapped out of her trance. She shot Aang a look of anger and hurt, and bent a pillar of earth, slamming him in the stomach. The force sent him flying, and as he flew, she stormed away into the opposite direction. When Aang landed, he immediately chased after her.

"W-wait Toph!"

"Leave me alone jerk-face!"

Aang ran past her, and stood in front of her.

"Hold on, what did I do wrong!"

Toph just shot a look of disgust.

"Nothing!" yelled Toph, her milky eyes narrowing toward Aang, "You did everything exactly the way you would have done it with Katara! You don't need me anymore, so go! Go and kiss Katara! In fact, stick your tongue down her throat for all I care!"

Toph then shoved past him.

"Toph! Wait!"

Aang then proceeded to grab Toph's shoulder. Big mistake. Toph spun around, and before Aang could react, she slapped him hard. Aang fell to the floor, and clutched his cheek. He looked up at Toph.

"Don't touch me," she said with ice in her voice, and then she walked away.

As she walked Katara approached, and saw Toph.

"Wow Toph! You look amazing!" complimented Katara.

"Shut up Sugar Queen!" yelled Toph before undoing the braid.

Katara raised an eyebrow, and looked to Aang.

"Aang! What happened!" yelled Katara looking at his swelled up cheek.

"I don't know."

xXxXx

The next day was very rough for Aang. He knew that Toph's earthbending lessons were tough, but she was really making it a point to hurt Aang as much as possible. During drills, she doubled everything, and during sparing, Aang could have sworn that she tried to kill him. She eventually concluded the lesson when she felt that she would really kill him.

After the lesson, Toph stomped away as quickly as she could when Aang was trying to talk to her.

"Toph! Can we Talk!" asked the young Avatar.

"No!" she said flat out.

"Toph! Why are you mad at me!"

Toph could not believe what she just heard.

"How about what you did yesterday! That might give you a clue you idiot!"

"Look, if it's about the kiss, I'm sorry."

"It's not about the kiss Aang, it's…oh, just forget about it! You wouldn't understand!"

"Toph! Wait!" Toph just bent another rock at Aang's stomach and ran away as fast as she could.

xXxXx

"Stupid Aang, stupid Katara, stupid love…confession…thing," muttered Toph as she ran.

When she got tired, she slowed down and stopped. She sat down and hugged her knees.

She began to recall what had happened yesterday. Aang's hands wrapped around hers, her body in his arms, his lips against hers.

'He's a pretty good kisser,' thought Toph, suddenly reality came back, 'HOLD ON! What am I thinking!' she chided herself in her head.

'First of all, Aang's a dweeb. Second, Aang's into Katara. What chance do I have…' she stopped in thought.

"Rgh! That stupid, overly-imaginative monk! Why on earth did he **KISS ME**" she yelled.

"So that's what happened."

Toph immediately tensed. "What are you doing here Mr. Man-Crush!" demanded Toph.

"I really wish you'd stop calling me that," said Zuko.

"Well, tough." She said curtly.

Zuko walked over to her.

"May I have this seat?"

"Whatever," said Toph. Zuko took his seat.

"So, now that I know what's eating you, you want to talk about it?" asked Zuko.

"Sorry 'dad,' but I'm not interested in talking."

"Dad?" asked Zuko, puzzled at the new nickname.

"Yeah, Sugar Queen acts like everyone's mom, and you seem to be acting like my dad right now," clarified Toph.

Zuko thought for a moment.

"Ok then, don't talk to me," said Zuko. The former prince got up and began to walk away.

'That's it?' thought Toph, 'He's not going to try to get me to tell him…crap! I hate reverse to psychology!' "Wait!" yelled Toph.

Zuko stopped and turned around. Toph crossed her arms across her chest.

"I'll talk."

Zuko grinned, 'Well what do you know. Uncle's reverse psychology works on her as much as it does on me.'

Zuko sat back down next to Toph. After a moment of silence, Toph spoke up.

"Zuko, what is…love?"

"Love?" asked Zuko.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Well, it's a very complicated thing to understand," began Zuko, trying to figure out how to explain something incredibly vague to Toph, "I guess, you could say that it is a mutual display of one's affections for another person. That's how I've come to know it."

"Oh," said Toph, "Can I ask you something else?"

"Sure."

"What if you think you love someone, but you know they love someone else?"

Zuko thought about it for a moment.

"Hmmm, that's a tough one to answer," said Zuko, "Tell me, is it Aang we're talking about?"

"WHAT!" screeched Toph, "No! I-I don't like that dweeby idiot!"

"It sounds pretty suspicious if you say it like that," said Zuko with a sly grin.

"It's the truth!" yelled Toph, "He's childish, an idiot, funny, I mean, not funny, I mean, RGH!" she growled in frustration. She then sighed, "I'm not doing a good job convincing you otherwise am I?"

"Not really," said Zuko.

Toph sighed, "It's just, well Aang was the first person to make me feel like I was someone. My parents saw me as their blind daughter, and sure I had fans at the Earth Rumble, but they didn't know who I really was. But when Aang showed up, he thought I was an amazing bender, and an incredible person. It made me feel so happy. And then…" Toph trailed off, her cheeks going red.

"Then?" asked Zuko.

"When he kissed me, it felt like time stood still," continued Toph, "I mean, at first I wanted to punch the living daylights out of him, but when he held the kiss, it began to feel right. It was so perfect."

"So what killed it?" asked Zuko.

"He…he called me …Katara."

Zuko's eyes widened with surprise.

"Oh, I see," said Zuko, "Was this when you were helping him yesterday?"

"Yeah," said Toph. Her eyes began to water, "Maybe…maybe I'm not meant to be loved."

Zuko gave her a hug, to try to console her, and she hugged back, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Look," began Zuko, "I'm not going to say I'm some expert, but love is a funny thing that has a strange way of working. I think it's a little too early for you to be giving up hope on love."

"Really?" asked Toph as she wiped her tears away.

"Yeah," said Zuko, "Just follow your heart. It will guide you."

"Follow, my heart?" asked Toph repeating Zuko's words. She gave a thoughtful look, then suddenly gave Zuko a blank stare, "That sounds so cheesy."

Zuko just chuckled, "You're right, but it's the best advice I've got for you. "

And with that, Zuko left Toph alone to think.

xXxXx

Zuko was walking back to camp when suddenly Aang showed up.

"Zuko, can I talk to you?" asked Aang.

"Um, sure," said Zuko, "What's on your mind?"

"It's…Toph," answered Aang. Zuko knew where this was going, "I made her mad, and I don't know what to do."

"It's funny," said Zuko, "I just talked to her about the same thing."

"Really?" asked Aang in surprise, "Why is she mad at me?"

"Well, I probably shouldn't tell you because she might kill me, but I'll say it anyway," said Zuko, "She's mad because you called her 'Katara,' after you kissed her."

"She is? Well, she told me to imagine she was Katara."

"Be that as it may, but I doubt you kissing her was what she had in mind," said Zuko, getting a little frustrated at the monk.

"Yeah, but…" began Aang before being cut off by Zuko.

"Don't you get it Aang! You kissed her! If there's one thing I know about girls, it's that they take kisses seriously. Especially if it's the first kiss," yelled Zuko. He then composed himself, "After you kissed her, you called her Katara. Do you know how insulting it must have been for her. You hurt Toph pretty bad, and I think you should talk to her."

Aang thought for a moment.

"I didn't think Toph could be hurt like that," said Aang, "She's always so...strong."

Zuko looked at him for a bit.

"Toph is a strong girl," said Zuko. He paused for a moment, "but she is still a girl," he continued.

Aang looked away in thought.

"Well, just think about what I said," said Zuko, and he continued on toward the camp.

Aang thought about what Zuko had said to him just now.

_'__Toph is a strong girl, but she is still a girl__'_

Aang decided to meditate on this.

xXxXx

That night everyone gathered around for dinner, with the exception of Aang.

"Where's Aang, it's not like him to miss dinner," said Katara.

"He's probably getting reacquainted with his past," said Sokka. He turned his attention to Zuko who was meditating, "Hey Zuko! Want to join us, or do you just want to think of some new dance moves to beat the Fire Lord?"

Sokka began to laugh at his own joke, but stopped immediately when Zuko shot him a scary look.

"Ok, shutting up," said Sokka getting chills up his spine.

'Idiot,' thought Zuko. He then turned around to continue meditating when he saw Aang approach the camp.

"Aang!" yelled Katara, "Where have you been!" asked Katara in a worried voice.

"Did you think about what I talked to you about earlier?" asked Zuko.

The whole group, especially Toph, looked at Zuko.

"I did," said Aang. He then looked to Toph, "Toph if it's not too much trouble, may I talk to you? In private."

Toph looked at Aang.

"Sure," she answered.

She put down her bowl, got up and joined Aang. The two walked away from the group. A series of murmurs and whispers occurred amongst the group. Zuko however remained silent, for he knew what was going on.

xXxXx

The two walked for a while. They stopped by the fountain where Combustion Man attacked them earlier.

"So Aang, what did you want to talk about?" asked Toph.

"It's about…yesterday," answered Aang.

"Oh…well…um actually, I've been meaning to talk to you about that too," said Toph.

"Really?" asked Aang, "Well, you go first."

"Ok," said Toph, "Look I'm sorry about how I've been acting the way I did. I was out of line."

"No Toph, you weren't out of line," said Aang, "I was. I took things too far. I kissed you, and then insulted you by calling you Katara. I'm really sorry."

"Aang, look, I know you have a thing for Katara. I mean what guy wouldn't? She's smart, pretty, and girly," said Toph, "And, as for me, I'm a blind, dirty, sweaty tomboy. I'm probably not even that pretty."

"That's not true Toph!" yelled Aang angrily, "I think you're really beautiful!" he blurted out loud.

Toph's cheeks immediately went red when Aang said that she was beautiful. Aang also went red out of embarrassment.

"Do you really…mean that?" asked Toph.

"Yeah…I do," answered Aang.

"Well, you're not so bad yourself Twinkletoes," said Toph.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean it," said Toph.

Aang sighed a bit of relief.

"So does this mean we're still friends?" asked Aang, after a minute of silence.

Toph thought for a moment, before answering.

"Yeah, we're still friends" said Toph. Suddenly, she punched Aang in the shoulder, "Just don't do that to me again! Otherwise, I'll punch the living daylights out of you! Got it!"

Aang, clutching his shoulder, looked at Toph and smiled, "Yeah, I got it."

Toph then sensed something, but ignored it.

"What is it?" asked Aang.

"Nothing," said Toph, and she kissed Aang on the cheek.

Both of them began to blush.

In the shadows, Zuko watched the two and smiled. As he turned away, a thought entered his head.

'I'm starting to be like uncle,' he thought as he rolled his eyes.

He then continued to walk back to the camp.

**The End**

**Ok, there it is my first shot at a Taang fiction. I really hoped you enjoyed it. A little fact about the story is that I got the idea of the opening from an episode of ****Inuyasha**** that I saw last year. Thank you for reading. Reviews are appreciated.**


End file.
